Putnam Sends Firefighting Resources To Oregon
By Space Coast Daily // August 6, 2013
Oregon Wildfires Have burned 25,000 acres
ABOVE VIDEO: Among the biggest fires in Oregon is the Douglas Complex fire now at over 25,000 acres. Florida firefighters will assist with front-line firefighting operations by using shovels, axes and rakes to manually create a fire break or fire line around the wildfire.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Two dozen members of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Florida Forest Service will deploy to battle blazes in Oregon this week.
Two additional firefighters will aid firefighting in California.
“The Florida Forest Service has some of the best and most skilled firefighters in the country,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
“Thanks to Florida’s persistent rainfall and current low wildfire danger, we are able to offer our talented personnel to support the protection of people, structures and natural resources in other states.”
Tomorrow, an Initial Attack Hand Crew of 20 Florida Forest Service firefighters will deploy to Oregon for two weeks alongside four additional crews from Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
ATTACK HAND CREW OF 20
These firefighters will assist with front-line firefighting operations by using shovels, axes and rakes to manually create a fire break or fire line around the wildfire. Hand crews are critical to wildfire suppression in the western United States.
Four additional Florida Forest Service fire personnel will assist in a variety of other wildfire-related positions throughout Oregon. To date, the Florida Forest Service has also provided wildfire assistance to Colorado, Arizona, Alaska and Nevada.
Two Florida Forest Service employees are also serving as support staff for the Salmon River Complex of wildfires on California’s Klamath National Forest.
The Florida Forest Service manages 1 million acres of public forest land while protecting more than 26 million acres of homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.
For wildfire updates and information visit FloridaForestService.com
For more information visit FreshFromFlorida.com
